Missing
Answers to the name of “inventive, internet-based adventure game”.
Tags: Missing Categories: PC Reviews, Reviews
Posted by Ludwig on Oct 3rd, 2004
| Title | Players | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Missing (title page) | 1 | ||
| Developer | Publisher | Genre | Online |
| Adventure | Yes | ||
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What would we do without the internet? What would we do without that omnipresent communication network that brings together people from all over the world and allows them to share knowledge, discuss world issues and ultimately transform into bickering maniacs on message boards? It’s both a difficult and terrifying question, especially if one should consider the chaos that would ensue if humans weren’t able to rely on simplistic emoticons to express themselves anymore. That’s not even mentioning the fact that you would be unable to play Missing or even read this review (both of which are quite interesting, we think).
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At first glance, Missing appears to be a rather conventional, puzzle-based adventure presented within the decidedly unconventional framework of Blair Witch style live-action footage and deeply disturbed graphics. What you’ll soon come to realize, however, is that the game soon permeates and pushes through its deceiving shell and slowly entrenches itself in the realm of reality. As you become more and more engrossed with finding Jack Lorski and Karen Gijman, the disappearing duo the title refers to, you’ll find yourself playing detective on the internet and eagerly awaiting that next cryptic e-mail from a person that doesn’t even exist. A cunning fusion of riddles and internet-based research, Missing is a truly inventive and unique adventure that entertains, engages and even educates.
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After inadvertently witnessing a murder, dedicated reporter and overly inquisitive Jack Lorski sets off to find the particulars and perpetrator behind the act. Embroiling and accompanying the lovely Karen Gijman in the investigation, the two mysteriously vanish off the face of the earth without a trace – at least until Jack’s boss receives a mysterious CD-ROM filled with freaky digital content and obscure conundrums. Instead of being thrown into the garbage with all the other AOL discs, it is duplicated and published by The Adventure Company and ultimately winds up in the grubby hands of gamers eager to aid in solving the mystery. This story makes it easy to draw parallels between Missing and EA’s ill-fated Majestic, both having strong reality components and cleverly utilizing the World Wide Web as an interface. The key difference, it should be noted, lies in Missing’s far less ambitious scope and how the player is actually capable of influencing the game world.
The puzzles in Missing have an immediately captivating and surrealistic feel to them, comprised of minigames that seem to be the result of Charles Manson’s exploits with Flash and more challenging, always cryptic riddles. Cleverly designed and presented in a way that makes it easy to figure out what needs to be done and how it needs to be done, the puzzles run the gamut of piecing together torn up photographs to navigating through mind-bending mazes and are usually complemented by an enigma that needs some research in order to be solved. This is where the internet comes in and fully immerses you into the search for the truth (yes, we’re well aware of how ridiculous it is to mention “truth” when talking about the internet).
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Deciding whether the website you’re clicking and combing for clues is a legitimate one or merely a deceptive distraction created by the game’s developers is all part of the thrill. You’ll come across all manner of intriguing digital domains – some hold the information you seek, some feature cool Flash games and others may simply enable you to learn something new (also known as a waste of time by those not keen on knowledge). One of the game’s puzzles even had me running about the web and painstakingly analyzing photographs of Greek Islands in a bid to find a specific spot integral to the story. Since it’s based on your own initiative and intuition, success in this regard brings about a great sense of satisfaction, something akin to the CSI team discovering that final incriminating clue and sending the crook to the slammer. And hey, if you can make up awfully corny quips as you go, you’ll have even more fun.
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You’re not the only one attempting to locate Jack and Karen, a fact made very clear when your inbox becomes inhabited by e-mails from people you’ve never even heard of. Thankfully, these messages are intended to help you via hints and weblinks and never refer to free home loans, genital enlargement or anything that you’d usually associate from unknown senders. They’re actually written in very convincing and natural ways, further tricking you into thinking that you’re part of a real mystery. Even when I tried to expose the automated communication system and e-mailed one of the characters, informing her that she was not only part of an elaborate computer game but also grotesquely overweight, I received a joking reply that denied any obesity and insinuated that I might be a little crazy for suggesting Missing was anything but a serious investigation. Nice!
Since you’ll frequently be switching between the actual game, your e-mail software and web browser, it’s vital to have an efficient, unencumbered interface. Missing has just that and allows you to effortlessly move between your various programs as you inch closer and closer to solving the mystery. Progress is often accompanied by new detective tools becoming available for “download” (don’t worry 56k’ers, everything’s already on the disc), allowing you to analyze video clips (think Blade Runner’s Esper machine), translate text and search the web.
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Searching the web can be pretty dangerous if you’re planning on finishing the game on your own, as complete walkthroughs will frequently pop up during your search sessions. As long as you can resist the urge to click on those links it’s not too much of an issue, though it does somewhat break up the sense of believability the game so carefully creates. Another minor problem that surfaces is how your progress for a certain puzzle becomes lost should you become stuck and attempt a different one. The only way to avoid it is to entirely finish the part you’re currently working on before moving on, something that’s not always possible when you’re already late for an important lecture/meeting/date/root canal.
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Missing masters one of the most important aspects of any game – illusion. It astutely blurs the line between itself and reality, between the world of the game and the world in which you live. Deftly balancing more traditional puzzles with internet-based detective work, it draws you into a thrilling mystery and truly makes you feel like you’re a pawn in some psychotic computer geek’s evil chess game. With a great interface, loads of originality and inventiveness, Missing definitely makes all the right moves.
| What Works | Score |
|---|---|
|
+ Masterful blending of typical adventure gaming and reality + Creative incorporation of the internet in puzzle solving + Excellent and efficient interface + Great overall presentation |
8.0 |
| What Doesn't | |
| - Inability to save progress within each individual puzzle | |
| Under the Shrink-wrap | |
| Missing is easily one of the best adventure games released this year. Go to a store and find it. | |
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Tags: Missing
Posted by Ludwig on Oct 3rd, 2004 and is filed under PC Reviews, Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can post a comment, or trackback from your own site.
